TIDE & Prejudice
by Flutaphone42
Summary: An encounter between Elizabeth and a certain stranger in the local laundromat. I'm not Jane Austen and therefore own nothing except the laundromat. Please review!
It is a truth universally acknowledged

That the laundromat is not a place intended for entertainment.

Conversing with Jane was the only pleasant activity I could do,

Next to measuring out the amount of Tide needed for the darks.

A bell jingled, alerting the building of more guests.

In walked a stranger and Charlie, the man who had made my sister lovestruck.

As Charlie and Jane became lost in each other,

The stranger known as Darcy gave me look,

The prejudice in eyes attempting to make me feel embarrassed

For using this establishment to wash oversized t shirts

Rather than to dry clean a three piece suit.

This attack had no prevail, since the time when I cared

What strangers thought of me had been long gone.

When the two men left, another almost immediately approached.

He introduced himself as George, the ex-tenant of Darcy.

Intrigued to know more of the history of the stranger,

I listened to George's tragic tale of woe.

According this account, Darcy and George had each found a special lady,

Which would been irrelevant if they were not in love with the same woman.

Once the woman had to decide which one to keep, she chose George,

Throwing Darcy into a fit of jealous rage.

Thus George was promptly evicted and remains homeless,

Due to Darcy's incapabilities to deal with his envy of George.

I could not decide what was worse;

George's current situation in life

Or the fact that I had once shared the same air as the despicable Darcy.

My hatred for him continued to fester with each passing day,

Until we met again at the laundromat.

I was dumping the TIDE into the machine when the bell rang,

Sounding the alarm to warn citizens of the impending jerk entering.

I thought maybe the fiend would pick up his dry cleaning and leave,

Which unfortunately was not the case as he began to walk in my direction.

I stared into the laundry machine, violently throwing my clothes into the walls.

Darcy joined my staring for a while, but alas, he could not stay silent forever.

He began to lament on how we were from different worlds,

Him from London's premier society and I from the local laundromat,

Then went on to say how he could overlook it,

And proceeded to invite me out to dinner for the following Tuesday.

I was stunned by the audacity of this man to assume

That I would even consider to date him after his insulting speech.

His face immediately fell once I delivered the initial decline of his offer,

And his frown continued to grow as I explained my reasons,

Ranging from the pain and suffering he caused George to

The fact that my family's laundry machine is broken and trying to be fixed.

Angrily, Darcy turned to leave, but before he reached the door,

He immediately retraced his steps to where I stood.

Darcy proclaimed George a liar and a thief,

Explaining how George never paid his rent,

And used the native heart of Darcy's younger sister to pay for him.

At that moment I saw the cold mask that Darcy wore crack,

Revealing the hurt and melancholy underneath.

But before I could say anything, he was gone,  
Leaving me once again alone with my thoughts

Which was never a good idea.

For days after this catastrophe with Darcy,

I could think of nothing besides the embarrassment of my behavior.

It wasn't until a mysterious package was left at our doorstep

That I finally snapped out of my regretful trance.

The suspense ended once my Father opened it,

Revealing a new laundry machine.

My Mother was the most excited about this,

Thrilled that the gossip about our family in debt could end.

On the other end of the spectrum, my Father was embarrassed,

Feeling incompetent since he could not fix the previous machine.

As my family continued to figure out their feelings about the gift,

I took the receipt from the box to see who was this generous donor.

There was no name, however, I made plans to visit the address listed.

If the building reflected anything about the residents,

Then this stranger's heart must be as beautiful as Pemberley Apartments.

Entering the complex, I examine all the luxurious but not ostentatious features

As the receptionist calls down the mysterious sender.

When I hear the elevator ding, I turn to see who it could be

And prepare to thank them on behalf of the Bennet family,

Until I come face to face with one man I thought I would never see again.

He seems just as shocked as me and I say his name after a moment.

"Hello Darcy."

I then remember the purpose of my journey to the building,

And begin thanking him until it turns into blabbering.

He stops me and tells me the reason for the generous donation.

"You must know that it was all for you."

A hot blush creeps over my cheeks

As I feel guilty for the expensive gift,

Embarrassed for my harsh rejection of this kind man,

And growing admiration for Darcy.

I'm guessing he could read the look on my face,

Which gave him the courage to ask me out once again.

This time I answer without any prejudices,

And say yes to a man who defeated his pride.


End file.
